Here we are again, another year, another Lollapalooza. It seems crazy that it was my fourth, being only nineteen, but I'm always improving my good groupie skills. Penny Lane would be proud of me after this weekend – I received further merit badges for helping a friend who passed out and spending eight fucking miserable hours in the rain to see some silly bands. Not pouring rain, but more than a drizzle, which was enough to make you go crazy. And then of course it was 95 the next day. Sometimes I wonder just what compels me to that madness.
So the music. As I mentioned, it was the weakest line-up of any Lollapalooza I've been to, especially with the lack of boys that are beastie.
The Good:
Fleet Foxes - In a word, they were beautiful. Simply gorgeous, immaculate harmonies and layers of delicate sound. I had my concerns about how their sound would translate, but it turned out that it was just fine. They opened with “Sun Giant” and “Sun it Also Rises,” and for a brief time, it did and we got a break from the pelting rain. The highlight of the festival for sure. I can't wait to hear more music from their scruff.
Depeche Mode – We left KOL early because Emily and I had to get our goth on, and we got there as soon as the hit parade again. I was impressed with how good they still sound, especially Dave Gahan's vocals. It's funny to see him cavorting on stage in black leather pants and vest, slithering around thirty years after the bands inception. “Never Let Me Down Again” and “Enjoy the Silence” sounded great, but the crowd totally sucked so we got gypped out of stuff like “Strangelove,” but a very pleasant surprise on the whole.
Tool – If the Fleet Foxes were delicate, then the single word for Tool is heavy. Heavy fucking metal to be exact. Like the Foxes though, their sound was pretty dead-on, with Maynard Keenan being his weird usual self and the guitars blowing my brains out my ears. Points for the trippy video stream, which had some narrative I'm sure, but I wasn't high enough to get it.
Arctic Monkeys – I don't really like them that much, as they always seemed like another “next big thing” band that fizzled out. But they're an excellent live band, full of energy. Forget that lead singer, the drummer is what gave them an extra kick. The re-imagining of Nick Cave's “Red Right Hand” also delighted.
Bon Iver – This was a show for a smaller setting, but Justin Vernon and crew made it appeal to the masses. The rain was probably most miserable during this show, so the fact that the music transcended that spoke to its quality. “Skinny Love” and “re: Stacks” were highlights.
Ben Folds – Way better then my first encounter with the man. “Bitches Ain't Shit,” “Rockin' the Suburbs,” and “Army” showcased some nice piano work, but my heart belonged to him because he did “Kate.” That song was written about me: “When all words fail she speaks, her mixtape's a masterpiece...I think she smokes pot, she's everything I am and everything I want."
The Mediocre:
Kings of Leon – Nate said it best: more like Kings of the mid-tempo ballads. Sexy as they may be, I think the Followill boys had been hitting the Valium before the show. “Molly's Chambers” was taken at a quarter of the speed it should have gone, and while they sounded good, it was very lethargic. Big disappointment.
The Decemberists – Speaking of disappointments, one of my favorite bands decided to do the prog-rock bullshit that is their new album, The Hazards of Love, and nothing else. NOTHING. No Valenica or military wives or mariners in sight. But, as much as I hate the album, they sounded really fantastic. Colin Meloy looked fine in his suspenders, but I wasn't into the whole production rock opera-ness of it all. Now I just have to see them again with the hopes that they'll do something I like.
The Bad:
Animal Collective – SUCKED. No joke. I can appreciate experimentation in a live setting, but something besides hoots, hollers, and synth beats would have been nice. Pitchfork mentioned hearing a familiar chord would have even been nice. The only songs that even remotely sounded like themselves were “Fireworks” and “Brothersport.” Once again, I think a substance of the psychedelic variety would have helped, but as they were, it was just noise.
TV on the Radio – They do not translate well live. Everything seemed rushed or too slow. I've heard that this is often the case, and now I've seen them, and I know it's true. “Wolf Like Me” kicked some ass though.
Also seen but I don't care enough one way or the other: The Knux, Andrew Bird, and Santigold.
After this year, I'm seriously considering whether or not I could stick through the 'Roo. It's a pilgrimage I want to make, but have my doubts. I know what several hours of rain was like, followed by blistering temperatures and the fact that I'd have to do that then sleep on the ground and shit in a field? Hmm. If I do it, it's gotta be soon while I'm young and stupid enough. Austin City Limits and Coachella will also have to happen at some point.
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